


The Sunflower and the Phoenix

by stephoxx



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 4
Genre: Comfort, Drabbles, Flirting, Friendship, Is this how you tag?, Rebirth, Romance, Teasing, but i've missed him so much <3, honestly so much flirting, i haven't written him in years, relentless and aggravating teasing because it's leon, rf4srelease, rfweeks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22814011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stephoxx/pseuds/stephoxx
Summary: Written for RFweeks on Tumblr in celebration of the release of Rune Factory 4 Special Edition! Short prompts dedicated to my favorite mischievous tease, Leon.
Relationships: Frey/Leon (Rune Factory)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 82





	1. Sprout

**Author's Note:**

> I'm rising from the grave to post this because that is how much I love Leon and how excited I am for the Special Edition release of RF4. Crazy to think how much my life has changed since I first played this game six years ago, but it still holds a special place in my heart. The title of these drabbles is symbolic of rebirth, which is essentially Leon's entire story arc, but also what fans and the game itself are going through right now. Honestly, it makes me tear up if I think about it too much. ;-;
> 
> I got all of the prompts from RFweeks on tumblr. Be sure to check out #RF4Srelease to see all of the wonderful works of art and fic dedicated to the release!

Drabble 1: Sprout

  
Frey’s second spring in Selphia was a lot like the first, while also managing to be completely different. The air smelled the same, all floral and fresh cut grass and Porcoline’s strawberry cakes. But _she_ was different. She could feel it in her bones. 

She was stronger and braver and positively _alive_. 

“Princess!” The cheery tenor voice of an even cheerier Vishnal roused Frey from sleep. 

She managed to yawn out a garbled, “I’m up.” before he even entered her room. She did not think she would ever manage to get used to the way Volkanon, Clorica, and Vishnal greeted her, or her facade as royalty. Although she had no recollection of her life prior to Selphia, she was sure by the squeamish feeling in her stomach that she was not royalty in that life either. 

“Busy today?” asked Vishnal, placing a hot cup of her favorite tea - Jasmine Green with an extra helping of sugar - beside her bed. 

Frey nodded, rubbing her eye as she stood. “Water the crops, feed the animals, the usual.”

Vishnal smiled in agreeance, but instead of turning to leave like he usually did, he lingered awkwardly in the middle of her room. Gloved hands clasped together, and he ran one shoe across the carpet nervously. 

Frey raised an eyebrow. “I know that look. What is it?”

“N-nothing!” stammered Vishnal.

“ _Vish,_ ” said Frey, her tone getting dangerously close to warning.

“I’m sorry Princess. I really am. It’s just that he...he insisted on seeing your farm before you were awake,” said Vishnal.

If it were physically possible, Frey was sure that Vishnal would have hidden inside of himself. He was quivering like a leaf from head to toe.

“Wait, who are you talking about?”

“Leon. The man you saved last week,” said Vishnal. “Princess, I am so sorry that I failed you. As a butler, it is my duty to - ”

Vishnal began the usual spiel, but Frey’s attention was turned towards the door to her farm. There was a little window on top of it, still foggy with morning dew, that gave her the smallest view of her land. Out of all of the people Frey saved, Leon was the hardest to figure out. What could he possibly want with her? Surely her warrior side was much more interesting to him than the agricultural one? 

“Vishnal, please,” said Frey, shaking her head. “It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?” he squeaked.

“Yes.”

He seemed to perk up in that instantaneous way he had, and Frey managed to bid him good day. Still clad in her baby blue nightgown, unbeknownst to Frey of course, she opened the door and braced herself to talk to Leon.

Frey squinted as the sun rushed towards her all at once, and she held a hand up to her eyes to shade them. Leon was standing near a particularly messy plot that Frey had not yet gotten around to fixing. It was littered with weeds, twigs, and rocks, and she felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment at the mess. 

Leon did not seem to notice her presence, so she walked slowly towards him in the hopes that she would not startle him too much. All of the people she saved were so different when they finally came to. Amber took to Selphia like a duck to water, but Dylas and Dolce had a longer period of adjustment. She could not help but wonder which end of the spectrum Leon would fall.

“Good morning,” she said.

Leon looked up as if he hadn’t a clue that she was approaching him. He stared at her for a moment, taking in her appearance from head to toe, and then he smirked.

“Is this what people in your time wear to do farm work?” he asked.

Frey tilted her head in confusion and then looked down at her outfit. Her eyes widened with horror as she realized she was very much still wearing her night clothes. 

“No! Not at all! Umm, I guess I just, err, forgot to change,” she said, arms hugging each other across her chest in the hopes that it would somehow shield Leon’s gaze.

He laughed, a loud full laugh that rattled Frey’s insides and made the sun suddenly feel that much warmer on her skin. 

“You’re quite something,” he said. “I think I’ll find teasing you to be rather enjoyable.”

Frey pouted in frustration. “Nice to see it was worth it to wake you up, after all,” she mumbled.

“Aw, now I’m hurt,” said Leon, a hand pressed to his exposed chest like her words left some sort of physical wound.

“Why are you here anyway?” she asked.

“I overheard Dr. Jones mention something about you running a farm, and I had to see it for myself,” said Leon, eyes as blue as the sky in the heat of the summer scanning the fields of her farm once more.

“This is it. Not much, but I’m proud of it,” said Frey.

Leon smiled again and then reached out one big hand to ruffle her hair. She guffawed in surprise, but didn’t try to get out of the way. He was more boisterous and playful than she imagined, but there was something about the way that he smiled that was strange to her. It never quite reached his eyes.

“Alright, it’s settled then,” he said. “I’m going to watch you work this morning.”

“Settled?” Frey asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course. I promise I’m great company.” 

He was so matter of fact and blunt that Frey was stunned into silent agreement. And that was how she found herself working in front of Leon for the better part of the morning. He was mostly observant, occasionally offering a comment or two that was mostly unhelpful and entirely teasing, but Frey did not find his presence a nuisance.

“These weeds keep sprouting in this same patch,” she huffed, wiping sweat from her brow as she bent down to clear the messy plot.

“Weeds?” asked Leon.

“Yeah, they’re all over the place,” said Frey.

“Wait!” 

His urgency caused Frey to stand back in surprise, and suddenly Leon was hovering over her with his brows creased in concern. He bent down beside her then, crouched so close to her face that she could smell his earthy scent and feel his breath against her cheeks. 

“They aren’t all weeds,” said Leon quietly.

“What do you - ?” Frey couldn’t seem to find the end of her sentence as she watched Leon brush aside some of the more dominant weeds.

Hidden underneath the mess, a yellow flower was just starting to poke its head out of the soil. Frey heard herself let out an audible gasp as Leon’s hands gently brushed dirt away from the petals.

“Sometimes the most beautiful things are ones that are hard to see at first,” he said.

“How did you know this was here?” 

Leon stood before offering her a hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her to her feet before deadpanning, “I had time to survey the land. You sleep in quite late, Frey.”

She yanked her hand away from his and frowned. “And here I thought we were having a moment.”

Leon laughed again, and Frey watched as the laugh danced momentarily in his eyes. It was only for a split second, but it was enough that she knew someday he would be okay. 

“This was fun,” he said earnestly.

“It was.” And she meant it.

“I’ll have to check in again soon. To make sure you don’t accidentally rip out any more flowers, of course,” said Leon.

“I’d like that,” she said.

He smiled and Frey watched him lazily stroll the north path exiting her farm. It really was spring again, and the feeling in the pit of Frey’s stomach was telling her that things were about to get a lot more exciting around Selphia. 


	2. Exploration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite things about this drabble: Girls Supporting Girls TM (Forte, my bisexual ass will always love you), cheeky Leon, the entirety of Doug as a character, and the aesthetic of Obsidian Mansion (but not how hard that horrible boss fight is in-game).

Drabble 2: Exploration  
  
“It's just a short trip, but with how bad these old hips are, I’m not sure if I can make it there and back in one piece,” Granny Blossom had mentioned offhandedly a few days prior.

Trips to the market were important for keeping the General Store, and therefore the entire population of Selphia, afloat. Doug had agreed to run to the market for her, albeit with his consistent begrudging facade, but only on one condition: he didn’t have to go alone.

Wrangling the citizens of Selphia for an impromptu trip was all about timing. Everyone seemed to suffer from bouts of lethargy if asked for a favor at the wrong time, and as a self-proclaimed lethargic, Doug knew exactly how to combat this.

His first victim of choice was Forte, because she was the most willing to help (and if she was cornered, she rarely said no). Slipping in a leftover piece of chocolate cake sealed the deal, and she was the first added to the ragtag team.

His second choice was none other than Frey, because as long as he offered the right amount of Princess Points, he knew she couldn’t say no either.

“Whaddya say? Just you and me, short and sweet trip into town,” said Doug, leaning in the door frame of the inn and puffing out his chest to look as manly as physically possible.

“And me,” Forte piped in, stepping out from behind Doug’s shadow and giving Frey the smallest wave. “It would be an honor to fight alongside you again...if needed, of course.”

Doug gritted his teeth into a grin. He had spent an unearthly amount of time tracking Frey here. What could she possibly be doing at the inn for an entire afternoon while the bath house was closed? 

Frey giggled, minty pigtails bouncing over her shoulders. “I’ve got a lot of work to do in the forest, Doug.”

Doug’s shoulders slumped and he felt a whine beginning to pitch towards the tip of his tongue. “But Frey, it’s for  _ Granny _ .”

“What’s for Granny?” The voice seemingly came out of nowhere, and suddenly Leon was standing directly behind Frey like he had been there the entire time.

Doug noticed he was unusually close to her. Leon was already pretty bad at personal space, but the way he was standing now, with his body all tall and looming around her, was like he was all but holding her in his arms. 

“Never mind,” said Doug quickly. “I’ll ask someone else.”

Before he could turn to leave, Frey sputtered out, “Wait!”

“Frey, it’s no big deal. I can probably rope Amber or Dy -”

“No, no. I’ll go. Besides, I know the forest better than anyone else in town and I would hate for something to happen to you out there,” said Frey.

“Taking a little trip?” asked Leon, raising an eyebrow. “Color me intrigued. I’m in.”

“No one invited you,” mumbled Forte. 

And for the first time that afternoon, Doug was a little bit happier to have Forte along for the ride. 

Leon laughed and sauntered out the door, a wary eye from Forte following his every step.

“I’m in a good mood today,” said Leon, flashing Forte a brilliantly white smile. “I’ll let it slide.”

It was no secret that Leon and Forte had almost as bad of a relationship as Doug and Dylas. But Frey knew that Leon wouldn’t tease if he didn’t care, and Forte was getting better at dishing out what he served right back at him every day. 

“So where are we going?” asked Frey as soon as the group reached the edge of town.

“Granny Blossom gets some of her best produce from this stand near, err, I think it’s called Obsidian Mansion,” said Doug, squinting at a tattered map he had previously haphazardly folded in his pocket. 

Forte visibly paled beside them, the tip of her boot digging so far into the dirt that she nearly flung herself forward. 

“Obsidian Mansion?” Leon cocked his head to the side in confusion.

“Yeah, it’s supposedly -” Doug started.

“Beautiful!” Forte cut in, practically spluttering to get the word out in time. “This time of year, I mean. Yes, very pretty.”

Doug stared at Forte questioningly, while Leon shared a look of amusement with Frey. Frey wouldn’t dare tell a soul about the last time she went to Obsidian Mansion with Forte in tow. Forte had sworn her to secrecy. After all, ‘scaredy cat’ was an unbecoming trait of a true knight.

“We should probably keep moving if we want to make it back before dark,” said Frey, surging ahead to get the group off of the topic.

The journey to Obsidian Mansion was fairly quiet. Frey noticed how tightly Forte was grasping the hilt of her sword at her hip, and she knew that Leon noticed too, as the mischievous glint in his eye could not help but sparkle whenever he made eye contact with Frey. Doug was busy trying to direct them, but the map he was using was so faded it was nearly impossible to see where they were supposed to be going. 

It did not take long for the air to begin to chill and the leaves to turn brilliant hues of oranges and reds. Leon had fallen into stride beside Frey, his hand occasionally brushing against hers in a way that made her heart drop into her stomach. They had been playing this game of cat and mouse - mostly equally, although Leon was much better at assuming the role of the cat - for what felt like weeks. She wished he would do something,  _ anything  _ to get those wretched butterflies out of her gut. 

“Wait,” said Doug suddenly, stopping dead in his tracks and frantically flipping the map over in his hands. “Which direction are we going in?”

Frey looked up to the sky, watching the very beginning of the melty orange sunsets Selphia so beautifully possessed. “West,” she said.

“No, no, no,” said Doug. “That can’t be right. Did anyone see a big tree with a hook shaped branch back there?”

“As opposed to all of these trees that are perfectly straight, you mean?” asked Leon.

And as they stepped about fifty feet forward, the dizzying spirals and chipped, black roof tiles of Obsidian Mansion came into view. Forte quite literally froze in place, her mouth dropping open and hanging slack-jawed.

“Whoa,” said Doug. 

“This place is ten different kinds of creepy,” said Leon, a smirk etching slowly across his lips. “Or should I have used the word ‘beautiful,’ instead?”

Frey nudged Leon in the side as Forte shook off her fear just long enough to glare at him.

“I doubt they sell produce in here,” said Frey. “We should probably turn back.”

Doug and Leon both made a noise of protest in unison. Forte, however, had already taken about twenty steps back to where they came.

“Aw come on, Forte,” said Doug. “Don’t you wanna see what could be hiding in there?”

“I have already seen it before and I do not wish to see it again,” said Forte adamantly. 

“This is where we found Dolce,” said Frey, giving Forte a sympathetic look. “And honestly there isn’t much inside.”

“Then it won’t be any trouble to check it out for a bit,” said Leon, casually strolling towards the big double doors.

Frey wasn’t sure why, but somehow all four found themselves standing at the entrance in a matter of moments. Leon grasped the door handle and yanked, the hulking thing scraping against the rotting deck as it opened.

Frey could feel Forte vibrating out of fear beside her, so she gave her shoulder a quick squeeze of reassurance. 

“This place is like a crypt!” exclaimed Doug, marveling at how his voice echoed throughout the multiple hallways of the mansion.

Out of all of the Guardians that Frey saved, Dolce was the one she struggled with the most. Fighting creatures that she could see was already difficult enough, but adding spirits that could turn invisible on a whim added an entirely new level of difficulty. Although she was not scared by any means, adrenaline still prickled beneath her skin.

“Let’s check out that big room in the back,” said Doug, already halfway across the entryway.

“I’d rather stand guard here. Just in case of, umm, squatters or enemies attacking from behind,” said Forte. 

“Where did Leon go?” asked Frey.

“Hopefully taken by one of those awful things we saw last time.” Forte turned her nose up and kept to her post, leaving Frey to search for Leon on her own.

Frey was not dumb. She knew that Leon was hiding behind some door or another, waiting to jump out and scare her or Forte or even Doug. He was in his meddling element, and that made some bizarre part of her want to find him all the more.

The big bedroom that Doug wanted to check out was empty, which left the rickety side bedroom with the busted hall light as her only option on the main floor. She tip-toed as quietly as she could, hoping to maybe scare him before he could scare her.

The way the floor was creaking even when she wasn’t moving made her worry that they really weren’t alone. Even after saving Dolce, she was sure spirits could still be lurking in the mansion somewhere. The closer she got to the room, the colder the air was becoming. She felt a chill run up the entirety of her spine, settling on her arms in the form of gooseflesh. 

“Leon! If you’re out there, I’m done playing. You win,” she said.

She heard a crash in the bedroom and jumped so high in the air she thought her soul might leave her body altogether. Turning on her heel to run the other way, she crashed headfirst into something hard and warm and soft all at the same time.

Dazed, she blinked and staggered backwards, feeling her feet continually catch on the fraying carpet. 

“Hold on. I’ve got you,” said a familiar voice.

She felt warm fingers lacing with her own, pulling her upright and into a hug. It took a moment to realize it because of the shock, but as soon as she heard that baritone chuckle she knew it was Leon that she was holding onto. His heart was beating so quickly in his chest that Frey wondered if he had been scared, too. 

She stayed with him like that for what felt like longer than it actually was, and she could not help but notice how nicely she fit in his arms.

“I’ve got you,” he said again.

“Leon, I -” Frey started, but whatever she was going to say or whatever she should have said was cut off by a high pitched scream.

“I-I-I saw something! At the top of the stairs!” echoed throughout the mansion. 

Doug was stuttering and Forte was shrieking, and the pair were tripping over themselves to yank on the door to no avail.

Leon chuckled and shook his head, his exhaled breath tickling the top of Frey’s head. “Out of all of the places to finally hold you, and it gets ruined by a couple of scaredy-cats.”

“Your heart was beating pretty fast, too, you know,” Frey teased, untangling herself from his arms.

Leon’s eyes widened, and for the briefest of seconds, Frey could see the faintest hint of a blush creep onto his cheeks. 

“You think my heart was beating fast because I was scared of the spirits?” he asked coyly. “I guess we’ll never know.”

He turned to help Forte and Doug, and Frey stood back for a moment, stunned by his answer. Was he really nervous because he was holding her? 

She didn’t have much time to dwell on it, because the second Leon opened the door, Forte and Doug sprinted out of the mansion and back down the path.

“That is the last time I ever agree to go with you on a trip!” Forte huffed.

“That’s the last time I do somethin’ nice for Granny,” said Doug. 

Leon fell in stride with Frey once more as they rounded the hooked tree branch Doug was talking about, and casually grabbed her hand again.

“The townsfolk are strange,” said Leon. “But I think I like it.”

Frey smiled up at him and gave his hand a little squeeze. 

“ _ You’re  _ still the strangest of all, though,” he added, and before Frey could retaliate, he let go of her hand and was jogging quietly to startle Forte from behind. 

Frey hung back, smiling to herself and wondering if the feeling in her stomach meant she would want to explore the rest of the world with Leon someday, too. 


	3. Growth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a crazy month since the game has been released. To help with some of the uncertainty going around the world, here's a chapter that is entirely too mushy and sweet. Stay safe, guys <3 Social distancing means more time to read and write, anyway! ;) 
> 
> And thank you to everyone who has taken the time to check out this little story. Every kudos and comment means the world to me! I've been out of the fanfiction world since 2017, so I appreciate any and all feedback more than I could ever express.

Drabble 3: Growth  
  
“Anyone with two eyes and half of a brain can see that he likes you,” said Margaret. “Dylas mentioned something about it at dinner the other night. _Dylas,_ Frey.”

Frey rolled her eyes and continued absently twirling her straw in a drink that was more or less just filled with ice chunks. Margaret asked Frey to stop by and listen to the new song she had composed, but she hadn’t realized that Leon was working on his translation project with Arthur in the next room over. It gave Frey the perfect excuse to stare longingly at him from across the room, although she would never admit she was doing it.

Margaret snapped her finger in front of Frey’s face, causing her to startle and jump in her seat.

“Sorry, Meg,” said Frey earnestly. “I just don’t get what’s up with him.”

“What do you mean?” asked Margaret, closing her composition book and hopping up on a bar stool next to Frey. She was sure that she was going to be in for another long conversation.

“He’s been distant,” said Frey.

Margaret smirked. “More than the usual amount, you mean?”

__

“Arthur,” said Leon tentatively.

He had been catching glimpses of Frey and Margaret from across the room for the better part of an hour, making a point to never stare directly at her while she was looking.

“Hmm?” said Arthur, only half-listening.

Arthur was buried spectacles-deep in some ancient book about Selphian architecture. Leon found it all rather boring as it was essentially reciting his own history, but even he had to admit that it was nice to be needed for something. Everything was so different about Selphia after he woke up, and it did not take him long to discover that his previous role as the Dragon Priest was no longer necessary. Translating, however boring, was something _only_ he could do. And he owed it to the town, to Venti, and to Frey to make the most of his new life.

“What do you think of Frey?” Leon asked.

“Frey?” Arthur looked up and closed his book, his gaze cast towards the bar where she was sitting. “She’s wonderful. Just what Selphia needed, and a better pseudo-member of the royal family than I could ever be.”

“Mm,” was the only response Leon managed to mumble.

“Why do you ask?”

Leon laughed off the question. “Just curious." His gaze landed on her again, and he felt his stomach flip flop as she let out a particularly adorable smile. "She is quite something though, I suppose.”

__

“If he asked you out would you say yes?” Margaret asked.

She was always blunt and straight to the point. She had a knack for knowing how people were feeling and then putting those feelings out in the open. Frey was grateful to have a friend like her, as Frey treated her own feelings as if she were walking on eggshells. Still, the question managed to completely catch Frey off guard. 

“Meg!” Frey spluttered, twisting the straw in her drink so hard that it flung out of the glass and landed on the floor.

“Well, _would_ you?” Margaret pressed.

The expectant look on Margaret’s face was one Frey knew all too well. She wasn’t getting out of this without answering the question.

“I-I mean...yes. I would.” And she could feel the way her cheeks burned as she said the words out loud.

__

“You know, Leon, I appreciate all of your help,” said Arthur, closing the book once more and returning it to its place on his seemingly bottomless bookshelf.

“Done for the day already?” asked Leon, holding in his sigh of relief until he was certain that Arthur was sure.

Arthur shot him a smile that Leon could only define as his ‘fake courtesy smile.’ Usually Arthur saved this expression for correspondence with his family or other royal officials, and Leon could not help but feel taken aback to see it used on him.

“Why do I have the feeling that you are trying to get rid of me?” asked Leon.

Arthur smiled again, but this time Leo knew it was genuine because it reached all the way up to his eyes.

“Part of my job has always been to look into the past, to find records that will help my country succeed in the future. I don’t have the luxury to live in the present." Arthur’s gaze shifted from Leon to Frey, and he could see out of the corner of his eye that Leon followed suit. “And sometimes, what’s in your present is most important.”

“Ah,” said Leon knowingly, his expression nonchalant but his cheeks brimming with pink heat.

__

“He’s coming over here!” exclaimed Margaret, jumping up from the bar stool and hurrying behind the counter to act as though she wasn’t just sitting and talking to Frey. “Act cool.”

Frey rolled her eyes, but hoped at the same time that Margaret didn’t see her swallow thickly. It felt as though a bomb dropped in her stomach, exploding in a cacophony of butterflies.

Leon was getting closer, hoping that she couldn’t see how bright his cheeks were burning. He had been alive for centuries, floating endlessly with nothing but his thoughts to occupy the time. He had spent a portion of that time thinking about girls, flirting, and the like. But with her in front of him like this, with those big green eyes and that smile he swore she reserved only for him, he could have used a few _more_ centuries of preparation.

“Hi, Leon,” said Frey as soon as he was within earshot.

Margaret turned her back to the pair, opting to take some of the dirty dishes from Porcoline’s not-so-secret stash and turn the sink on as loud as she could (but not so loud that she couldn’t eavesdrop, of course). 

“Frey,” he said, dropping down beside her and reaching out one hand to ruffle her hair.

She batted his hand away instinctively, but was not expecting what happened next. Leon trapped her gaze with his own, and just as quickly as she had swiped at his hand, he had grabbed her wrist and held it above her head. They froze like that for what felt almost as long as his time trapped in Leon Karnak, before Leon mustered up the courage to speak again.

“Would you like to accompany me to the airship?” he asked, surprised by how steady his voice sounded despite the words forming some sort of messy amalgamation in his mind. 

“Right now?” Frey’s voice was much less confident and much more of a squeak, but Leon couldn’t help but feel his heart squeeze in his chest regardless.

He merely nodded and stood, both of them very much aware that he was still very much holding onto her wrist. 

“I’d love that,” said Frey finally, and she inched her fingers down towards his hand, opting to lace them with his own.

He was warm, and the shock of the sudden juxtaposition of their skin sent a visible shiver down Frey’s spine.

They walked in silence to the airship, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Frey was busy racking her brain with what Leon could possibly want from her and why he was acting so strange. There wasn’t so much as a slight teasing jab, or pleasant conversation about his latest escapades in annoying Forte, or even that melancholic existentialism he covered up with a playful smile. He was deep in thought, his eyes a thousand miles - or a thousand years, she supposed - away. 

The night was chilly for this late in spring and the moon hung low in the sky. The cobblestone was littered with dying cherry blossom petals and reflected the faintest sheen of moonshine. Selphia was always beautiful, but there was something about the calm of nighttime that Frey always seemed to like best.

“Take my hand,” said Leon, stepping aboard the ship first. 

Frey grabbed his extended hand and he pulled her up beside him. She realized just how small she was compared to him in that moment. He positively towered over her measly 5’1, but she wasn’t at all intimidated. He was smiling down at her, his eyes shining in a way she had seen less than a handful of times. Like he was actually happy to be with her in the present. 

“Can I tell you a secret?” he asked.

“Of course,” said Frey.

He took her hand once more and led her towards the bow of the ship. Despite the ship being properly docked, Frey couldn’t help but feel dizzying vertigo as she looked over the edge. Leon steadied her, looking off into the dark horizon.

“Ever since I was young, I wanted to fly,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think something like this airship would exist.”

Frey smiled. Leon rarely talked about his past. She didn’t even know how long ago he was born. And when he did talk about it, the pretend nonchalant tone of his voice was more than enough of a hint to not press the topic further. 

“Venti promised she’d fly with you one day,” said Frey knowingly, remembering all too well the moment that she had heard his voice for the first time. 

All of the Guardians’ hopes and dreams. All of their fears. Their dedication to give up their lives for another out of love. She wondered if Leon knew she had heard all of that. 

Leon chuckled at the memory. “Yes, she did.”

“You still can,” said Frey.

Leon turned to her then and she felt the warm caress of his thumb on her cheek. His hand perfectly cupped her chin, tilting it up towards him.

“And you…” he started. “You make me feel like I’m already flying.”

Frey parted her lips to say something, but she was cut off by the soft brushing of his own lips against hers. It was tentative at first, foreign and new and _exciting._ But she relaxed into the kiss as soon as he did, her arms slowly wrapping around his neck as fingers tangled themselves in his hair. 

When he went to pull away, Frey clutched the front of his vest and brought him back into the kiss, her lips colliding against his because it had been too long that they had gone on like this. Too long that he had teased her. Too long that they had been teetering on the verge of something more than friends. Too long that she had imagined what it would be like when he finally did kiss her. 

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted you to do that,” breathed Frey.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to,” murmured Leon against her lips. 

He buried his face in her neck, swooping her into a hug that enveloped her entire body. She sighed contently, holding him so tightly that she was sure she was squeezing him a bit.

When they finally broke apart, Frey was all smiles and Leon was redder than Doug’s hair. He must have realized this, as he immediately turned to look at the horizon once again. 

“I suppose I should formally ask you out now, right?” Sly smile, side-eyed, mischievous Leon was back.

“I suppose,” said Frey, fighting that familiar feeling of her stomach tying itself into knots at the sound of his voice.

“After all, we’re lovers now,” Leon crooned.

“Leon!” A hand flung up to Frey’s mouth in surprise.

He barked out a laugh. “What? Did you want this to be a casual thing? I never pegged you for the type.”

“I’ll throw you off of this airship,” muttered Frey, her bottom lip quivering into an angry pout.

“I know when to quit while I’m ahead,” he said, choking back the rest of his laughter and holding up his hands in defeat. “I’ll walk you back to your room?”

Frey nodded and laced her fingers with his once more. Out of the corner of her eye, she could have sworn that she saw Margaret and Arthur smushed together in the window of Porcoline’s Kitchen, trying to get a good view. She made a mental note to pester them about it tomorrow. 

“Hey Leon?” Frey started as soon as the pair made it back to the door to her bedroom.

“Hmm?” 

“Someday I want to grant your wish,” she said. “Someday we’ll fly together.”

His expression softened and he pulled her into one final hug. Leon was rarely at a loss for words, but in that moment he was sure if he said anything more his heart would not be able to take it. So he just stood there and held her, wondering how he would ever be able to tell her that she made him more than fly. She made him soar. 


End file.
